Control mechanism for wringer rolls of a washing machine



July 6, 1937. P. E. GELDHOF CONTROL MEGHANISM FOR WRINGER ROLLS OF AWASHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 27, 1933 Wi TN Ess July 6,1937. P. E. GELDHOF 2,086,497

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WRINGER ROLLS OF A WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 27,1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l 'W7 Z259 WITNESS 92 I' z B MM d ATT RNEYS July6, 1937. P, E, GELDHOF 2,086,497

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WRINGER-ROLLS OF A WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 27,1933 5 sheets-sheet s r will *sr*- INVENTUR WITNESS ATH: NEYE PatentedJuly 6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WRINGERROLLS OF A WASHING MACHINE Application November 27, 1933, Serial No.699,937

9 Claims.

This `invention relates to new and useful improvements in the drivemechanism for roll type wrngers for clothes washing machines, andpertains more particularly to the means for controlling the operation ofthe rolls.

The main object of this invention is to provide a power-operated rollwringer for clothes washing machines or the like, with power-operatedmeans which may becontroll'ed by a very slight manual effort fordisconnecting the rolls with the drive mechanism.

4Another object of the invention-is to provide a roll wringer with meanscontrolled by the conventional safety roll release device fordisconnecting the wringer rolls with the drive mechanism whereby therolls will cease to rotate the instant the pressure on the rolls isreleased.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drive mechanism for aroll wringer of the above-- mentioned class which is compact, sturdy andeconomical in construction and that is positive and simple in operation.

In carrying out the above-mentioned objects, I have provided theconventional drive mechanism fora. roll wringer comprising a driveshaft, two drive pinions arranged in opposed relation and a reversingmember or clutch driven by the drive shaft'and manually movable intoengagement with the pinions for determining the direction of rotation ofthe rolls, with a neutralizing member which is operably connected withthe reversing member. The neutralizing member is, in turn, operated forreturning the reverse mechanism to a neutral position for disconnectingthe rolls with the drive means by a power-operated device comprising aclutch member which is brought into operative connection with the driveshaft to be driven thereby by manually controlledmeans adapted to beoperated by a very slight touch of the finger-tip and which is sopositioned as to be readily accessible to one operating the washingmachine. Further, the clutch control means is so connected with theconventional safety means for quickly releasing the spring tension onthe rolls that the reversing member will be automatically moved to theneutral position and the rotation of the rolls thereby stopped whenthesafety means is operated.

Other objects and advantages pertaining to the details of the structureand the form and relation of the parts thereof, will more readily appearfrom the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanyingdrawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a roll wringer embodying the variousfeatures of this invention and a portion of the upper end of a washingmachine vat with parts thereof broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail horizontal sectional view taken in theplane of the line 2--2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 3 3,Figure 5, looking inthe direction indicated by the arrow.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the manner ofconnecting one end of the wrnger head with the side of the frame.

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the gear case andthe adjacent end of the wringer.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially in the planeof the line 66, Figure 5. Y

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 1 1, Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 8 8, Figure 5.

Figures 9 and 10 are detail sectional views taken respectively on lines9-9 and Ill-I0, Figure 8.

The device, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises a roll Wringer Isecured at one side to a transmission case 2 and a washer vat or tub 3.The case 2 contains substantially allthe mechanism comprising myinvention and is mounted upon the upper end of a tubular drive shafthousing 4 adapted to contain the usual drive shafts 5. The housing 4 maybe connected at its lower end to the frame, not shown,-of the washingmachine in any well-known manner, and as illustrated more particularlyin Figure 1, has the upper end thereof secured to the washing machinevat 3 by a bracket 6.

The wringer I consists of a pair of rollers I and 8 mounted in theconventional manner one upon the other in a frame composed, in thisinstance, of sheet metal stampings. The frame, as shown, comprises twovertically disposed end members 9 and I0 substantially U-shaped in crosssection and which are tied together at their lower ends by a suitablecross member II. An upper cross member or head I2, also of substantiallyU-shaped formation, is mounted upon the upper ends of the side members 9and I0 and is detachably connected at one end with one of the sidemembers as 9 by a catch arrangement indicated at I3 formed by pressingadjacent portions of the head and side member outwardly, in the mannershown more clearly in Figure 4. The other end of the head I2 ispivotally connected by a bolt I4 to the upper end of a U-shaped lock barI5 positioned in the end member I0 and which is designed to releasablysecure the head in place, in a manner hereinafter more fully explained.

The rollers 1 and 8 are mounted in suitable bearings provided in theframe sides iland I0, and as shown in Figure 5, the bearing as I1 forthe lower roll is mounted in a swinging U-shaped bracket I8 which issupported on a transverse rod I9 mounted in the frame end IIJ above theroll shaft 20. The upper roll is guided in the frame by bearing members2| which engage the upper surface of the shaft 22 of the roll. The upperroll is yieldingly pressedinto engagement with the lower roll 1 withgreater or less pressure as determined by a pressure spring 24 extendinglongitudinally through the head I2, with the ends thereof resting uponthe upper face of the upper roll bearings 2I and a tension screw 25screwthreaded in the head I2 intermediate the ends thereof, as shown inFigures 1 and .5.

The wringer I is secured to the case 2 bya pair of screws 21 which passthrough registering holes formed in the side walls lof the case 2 and apair of outwardly bent flanges 28 formed on the frame end I 0. The case2 is a substantially rectangular box-like member formed with the sidethereof opposite the wrlnger open, while a cover member 30 is secured tothe case 2 for closing said open side. The-case 2 has a pendent boss 3Iprovided with a shaft opening 32 which rotatably receives the upper endof the tubular housing 4 therein. The lower end of the boss 3I engagesanoutwardlyl extending annular ange 4 formed on the housing- 4 a shortdistance below the upper. end thereof for limiting the downward movementof the case 2 on the housing 4.

It will thus be seen that the case 2 and wringer I are rotatablysupported by the housing 4 in a predetermined plane above the washer vat3 in such a manner that the wringer may be readily Y spaced holes 35provided in the upper end of the housing 4.

'Ihe hereinbefore-mentioned 'drive shaft 5 may be driven in theconventional manner from the t motor, not shown, usually mounted beneaththe washer vat 3 for operating the'washing mechanism, while the upperend of the shaft has a pin and slot connection, as indicated at 36, withthe lower end of a vertically disposed stub shaft 31 `which extendsupwardly into the case 2, as shown in Figure 5, so'that the wringer andcase may be readily removed from the housing 4 by a vertical movementthereof after the lockpin 34 has been withdrawn from holding engagementwith the housing 4.

'I'he stub shaft 31 is journaled at its upper end in a pendent hollowboss 38 formed integral with the upper wall of the case 2 andlintermediate its ends in a bronze bearing member 39 secured by a presst or otherwise in the shaft opening 32 In the lower wall of the case.Rotatably mounted on the shaft 31 is a pair of opposed beveled pinions40 arranged in longitudinal spaced relation and which are in constantmesh with a beveled gear 4I journaled in the case 2. The manner ofmounting the gear `4I in the case consists, in this instance, inproviding the gear with an extended hollow hub 42 and rotatably mountingthe same in a hollow boss 43 provided in a vertical wall or partition 44formed in the case 2.-

The gear 4I is operably connected withl the lower roll 1 for driving thesame by means of a flexible drive coupling 45 positioned in the gear hub42 and which has a pin and slot connection as at 46 and 41 with thelower roll shaft 20 and gear 4I respectively. It will be noted that thisparticular connection between the gear 4I and the roll 1 not onlypermits a limited amount of lateral movement of the roll relative to thegear, but provides for the ready removal of the wringer from the housing2.

Each of the pinions 40 is provided on the inner face thereof withinwardly extending clutch elements 40' adapted to be engaged by similarclutch elements 48 provided on opposite ends of a clutch member 48 whichis slidablyv mounted upon the shaft 31 intermediate the pinions 40 forthe purpose of transmitting motion from the-shaft 31 to said pinions,-said clutch being keyed to the shaft 31 as at 49 so that the clutchwill be positively driven by the shaft 31.

In order that the clutch member 48 may be moved into and out ofengagement with the clutch elements on the pinions 48, I have providedsaid clutch member with a peripheral annular groove 50 adapted toreceive therein a roller stud 5I which is mounted eccentrically on. ashaft 52 journaled in the cover 30, 'as shown more clearly in Figures1,'5, and 7. In order that the shaft 52 and clutch 48 may be manuallyoperated, one end of the shaft 52 is extended through the cover 30 andhas secured thereto a lever 53.

It will here be observed that the mechanism thus far described isconstructed and operates in the conventional manner to rotate thewringer rolls 1 and 8; that is,' the clutch 48 is positively driven bythe shaft 31 which, in turn, is rotated by the constantly rotating driveshaft 5 and the wringer rolls may be rotated in one direction or theother, as desired, by moving the handle 53 to bring the clutch intooperative engagement with one or the other of the pinions 48 dependingupon the desired direction of rotation of the rolls.

In order that the power for driving the wringer rolls 1 and 8 may beutilized for moving the clutch 48 out of clutching engagement witheither of the pinions 4U into a neutral position intermediate saidpinions, I have provided a neutralizing member or plate 55 which ismounted in a horizontal plane beneath the lower pinion 40, as shown moreclearly in Figures 5 and 6, near the lower end of the case 2. 'Thisplate 55 extends from near the outer wall of the case to within a shortdistance of the wringer frame and is piv- -otally connected at its innerend to the case 2 by means of a shouldered stud 51 mounted in a bracket58 which, in turn, is secured by screws 59 to the lower end of the wall44.

'Ihe plate is provided with an opening 56 therethrough adapted toreceive the shaft 31. This opening, as shown in Figure 6, "issubstantially' larger than that of' the shaft 31 to permit the necessaryrocking movement of the plate about the pivot 51. The outer end of theplate is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending rack teeth 60arranged concentrically with the pivot 51 and which are in meshingengagement with similar gear teeth 6I provided on the lower end of asegmental gear member 62 which is pivotally mounted in a vertical plane.upon a stud 63 secured in the cover 38. This segmental gear member isalso provided with a plurality of gear teeth 64 arranged in the edgethereofA above the stud 63 and which are in meshing engagement with theteeth of a-gear member 65 secured to or made integral with the clutchcontrol shaft 52 so that any swinging movement of the plate about thestud 51 will produce a corresponding axial movement of the clutch 48along the shaft 31 through the medium of the segmental gear member 62,gear and roller 5|.

In order that the neutralizing plate 55 may be swung about the stud 51as a pivot by power means, I have provided a clutch member as 61 mountedupon the shaft 31 intermediate the plate 55 and the bearing member 39.This clutch member is comprised of a ratchet collar 69 which is keyed tothe shaft 31 as at 18, Figure 8, to be driven by the shaft. The ratchetcollar is mounted adjacent the upper end of the bearing member 39 and aclutch plate 1| is loosely mounted on the shaft 31 intermediate theratchet collar 69 and the neutralizing plate 55.

The plate 1|, in this instance, is circular in plan view and has theperipheral edge thereof provided with a groove 12 which receives one endportion of a spring member 13 which has the other end secured to thecase 2 by means of a screw 14. The spring 13 is tensioned inwardlytoward the clutch plate 1| for yieldingly engaging said plate andfrictionally maintaining the same against rotary movement.

In order that the plate 1| may be driven by the ratchet 69, I haveprovided a pawl 16 which is slidably mounted in a radially extendingslot 11 provided in theundersurface of the plate 1| for movement intoand out of engagement with a plurality of, in this instance four,circumferentially spaced slots 69' provided in the periphery of theratchet collar 69. In order that the pawl "6 may be moved into and outof engagement with the collar 69, I have provided an actuating arm 19which is pivotally connected intermediate its ends as at 88 to theclutch plate 1| in spaced relation to the slot 11 so that said arm willextend across the pawl 16. 'Ihe actuating arm 19 in this instance, is anarcuate member having the ends thereof terminating at substantiallydianzetrically opposite sides of the plate 1| and said ends are providedwith lateral projections or stops 8| and 82 respectively which extenddownwardly below the clutch plate 1|.

In order that the control arm may engage the pawl 16 for actuating thesame, I have provided said pawl with a longitudinally extending slot as16 in the lower face thereof adapted to receive the adjacent portion ofthe control arm 19. This slot 16' is of somewhat greater length than theWidth of the arm 19 contained therein to permit a limited amount of lostmotion of the arm in said slot for a purpose about to be explained.

The end of the arm 19 mounted in the slot 11' is yieldingly urgedinwardly toward the collar 69 by means of a tension spring 84 which hasone end hooked into the flange 82 and the other end secured to the plate1|.

It is now obvious that the spring 94 acting upon the arm 19 to rock thearm inwardly about the pivot 88, normally causes said arm to maintainthe pawl 16 in clutching engagement with the ratchet collar 69. In orderto cause the pawl to be moved out of clutching engagement with theratchet collar, I have provided a detent 86 positioned in a slot 2provided in the bottom of the case 2 and pivotally mount-ed on a pin orrod 81 for movement into and out of the path of movement of the endanges or abutments 8| and 82 on the actuating arm 19. The detent 86 isyieldingly urged upwardly into the path of the abutments 8| and 82 by acompression spring 88 seated in a bore 89 provided in the case 2, withthe lower end of the spring resting upon a stop pin 90. The upwardmovement of the detent is limited by a horizontally disposed control rod92 which extends transversely through the case 2, with the ends thereofterminating outside the case.

The control rod 92 is mounted for sliding movement in guide openingsformed in the side walls of the case and in a pair of spaced inwardlyextending lugs 93 formed integral with the bottom wall of the case andarranged one at either side of the slot 2', (see Figures 5 and 8). Thecontrol rod 92 is provided with a cam section substantially midwaybetween its ends consisting of a pair of opposed axially spacedoutwardly tapered or conical cam surfaces 95 which are connected by anintermediate flat or cylindrical surface 96. The rod is yieldinglymaintained in the normal position with the intermediate surface 96 inalignment with the detent 86 by a pair of relatively light compressionsprings 91 mounted on the'rod, one at either side of the lugs 93 betweena respective lug and a washer 98 which abuts against a shoulder 99formed on the rod at a corresponding end portion thereof. Theintermediate surface 96 is so proportioned that when the control rod isin the normal position, said surface will be engaged by the detent 86and coact with the spring 88 for maintaining the detent in the path ofmovement of the end flanges or abutment members 8| and 82 of the clutchactuating arm 19,

and obviously, when the control rod is moved axially in either directionfrom the normal position, the detent will be rocked against the actionof the spring 88 out of the path of movement of the arm 19 by thecorresponding cam surface 95.

As shown more clearly in Figure 8, each end of the rod 92 is providedwith an enlarged head portion 92' which forms convenient finger piecesby which the rod may be pushed inwardly and are so axially spaced as toform stops adapted to engage adjacent sides of the case 2 for limitingthe inward movement of the rod.

It will now be readily understood that when l in Figure 8 and the clutchcontrol arm 19 is positioned as illustrated by full lines in saidfigure, and the actuating arm 19 is released by the movement of thedetent 86 out of engagement with one of the abutment members as 8|, thepawl engaging end of said arm will then be drawn inwardly by the spring84 and the pawl 16 will be moved thereby into holding engagement withthe ratchet collar by the entrance of the pawl into the rst slot 69'which is aligned with the pawl, after which the arm 19 and clutch plate1| will be driven by the ratchet collar. This movement of the clutchelements in unison will continue until an object, as the detent 86,appears in the path of one or the other of the abutment members 8| or 82to interrupt the rotation of the actuating arm.

As the end of the arm is thus held by the detent, the continued rotationof the clutch plate 1| and pivot 88 will cause the pawl engaging end ofthe arm to swing outwardly against the action of spring 84 and withdrawthe pawl from engagement with the clutch collar. The instant the drivingconnection is broken between the pawl and ratchet, the clutch plate willstop rotation and be maintained against any rearward movement whichmight otherwise be produced by the action of the spring 84 by the dragproduced by spring member 13.

In order that the pawl 16 will be moved out of the path of movement ofthe teeth as 69"' of the ratchet collar 69 after the driving connectionbetween the pawl and said collar is broken, the inner end as 16 of thepawl is at and arranged normal to the longitudinal axis of the pawl sothat inasmuch as the rotary'movement of the pawl and plate 1I isdiscontinued the instant the rear side or edge of the pawl is out ofcontact with the driving side Wall of the ratchet slot 16', the ratchettooth 69" at the rear of the pawl will, during the continued rotationthereof, engage the center of the end 16 of the pawl and cause said pawlto move radially outwardly a slight distance independently of thelactuating arm 19, which action is permitted due to the fact that thepawl slot 16 is of greater length than the width of the adjacent portionof the arm 19 as previously described.

The manner of transmitting motion from the clutch plate 1| to theneutralizing plate 55 consists in providing a cam structure which inthis instance comprises a pair of diametrically opposed pins secured tothe clutch plate and which extend upwardly through the opening 56 in theneutralizing plate 55, said pins and opening being covered by a washerI0| which separates said members from the lower pinion 40. The end Wallsas 56' of the opening 56 are spaced apart a sufficient distance topermit the free rotary movement of the pins |00 withoutsaid pins cominginto engagement-With said walls, while the side walls as 56 of theopening 56 are spaced apart suiliciently to permit the requiredYswinging movement of the plate 55 to bring the clutch 48 into clutchingengagement with either of the pinions 40.

In other words, the pins |00 are arranged so as to be in the verticalplane passing through the axis of shaft 31 and pivot 51 when the clutchplate 1| is in the stationary position to permit the ready requiredswinging movement of the neutralizing plate 55, and at the' same time,these pins are so diametrically spaced that when the plate is'rotatedone-half revolution, the pins during the rotation thereof will engagethe side or cam walls 56" of the opening 56 and restore the neutralizingplate 55 to its norrnal neutral position, with the longitudinalcenterline thereof extending through the axis of the shaft 31.

The hereinbefore-mentioned means for automatically controlling therotation of the wringer rolls as the pressure on the rolls is released,may consist of any. suitable means for operatively connecting clutchmechanism 61 with the pressure release mechanism-'incorporated in thewringer mechanism, and for this purpose, I have illustrated a well-knowntype of safety control mechanism for the wringer rolls which is readilyadapted to control the operation of the clutch 61 and which is moreclearly illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. Briey, this safetymechanism consists of the hereinbefore-mentioned U-shaped lock bar Iwhich has the upper end of the side arms as |04 pivotally connected tothe head I2 at I4 and extends downwardly from said pivot through theframe end I0 between rod I9 and a similarly disposed rod |05, with thelower ends thereof terminating near the bottom of the frame end andconnected by a transverse portion |06. Each arm has a longitudinal notch|01 in a verti- 'cal edge thereof for receiving the pin I9 therein. anda cam surface |08 in the opposite edge adapted to engage the rod |05 asthe lock bar I5 is being moved downwardly to the lowermost position toproduce a swinging movement of the bar toward the rod I9 -so that whenthe head I2 and lock bar I5 are in the lowermost position, the lower endof the lock bar will be in the outermost position, with the rod |9registering in the notch |01 adjacent the lower end thereof.

A substantially horizontally disposed catch plate ||0 is pivotallymounted at one end as at to the cross member I| in spaced 'felation tothe lock bar I5. The other or free end of the catch plate extendsbeneath the transverse portion |06'of the lock bar and is yieldinglymaintained in contact therewith by means of a compression spring ||2mounted on a guide rod ||3 which is connected with the catch plate andcross member ||V for also limiting the upward movement of the catchplate. The catch plate I|0 is provided with upwardly extending flangesII4 adjacent each longitudinal side thereof adapted, when the plate isin its uppermost position in contact with the transverse portion |706 ofthe lock bar I5, to abut against .the linner side of said transverseportion and prevent inward swinging movement of the lock bar.

The catch plate is moved downwardly against the action of the spring I2by a trip plate ||6 which is pivotally mounted at ||1 to the wringerframe. This trip plate is disposed in nearly a vertical plane, with thelower end thereof in engagement with the side flanges or abutmentmembers ||4 of the catch plate ||0, while the upper end extends somedistance above the pivot ||1 and is in the path of movement of the lowerend of a pair of rock arms II8 which extend upwardly through the frameend I0 and are pivotally mounted intermediate their ends upon thehereinbefore-mentioned rod |05. These arms ||8 may, as shown, beconnected by across member I|9 which causes said arms to rock in unison.

The upper ends of the arms |8 terminate a short distance below the upperend of the frame end I0, and each is connected with a pin |20 whichextends outwardly through an elongated slot |2| in the respective sidesof the frame end I0 and connected at their outer ends to a slide plate|22 which is pivotally connected as at |23 to one end of a link |24. Theother end of each of these links |24 is pivotally connected as at |25 toone end of a horizontally disposed safety release bar |26. These safetyrelease bars |26 extend across respective sides of the wringer frame andare pivotally connected as at |21 to one end of a respective arm |28which, in turn, is pivotally connected as at |29 to the correspondingside of the frame end 9.

'I'he arms ||8, trip plate ||6 and the catch plate III) are s o relatedand mounted, that when the catch plate is in its uppermost positionagainst the transverse portion |06 of the lock bar I5, the upper end ofthe rock arms |.I8 will be maintained in their innermost position, withthe result that the safety release bars |26 will be maintained in theiroutermost position, as indicated by f ull lines in Figure 2 so that bypressing either oneof the bars |26 inwardly, the upper ends of tne rockarms .I I8 will be moved outwardly, as indicated by broken lines inFigure 2, which will cause the lower endsof these rock arms to moveinwardly to rock the -trip plate about the rod II1 75 as a pivot andthereby press the catch plate ||0 downwardly sufciently to bring theabutment members I4 out of holding engagement with the look bar I5.

As the catch plate ||0 releases the lower endJ of the lock bar, saidlbar will then be caused to swing inwardly out of holding relation withthe rod |9 due to the action of the pressure spring 24 and therebypermit the upward movement of the lock bar and head I2 and release thetension of said spring upon the upper roll 8.

The downward movement of the catch plate ||0 to release the lock bar I5is utilized for actuating the detent 88 to bring the same out of holdingengagement with the abutment members end thereof upon a rod |33 securedto the case 2. Y

This lever has the rear end thereof contacting with the lower face ofthe catch plate III), while the other end of the lever is provided witha tongue portion |34 which is in engagement with a similarly constructedgroove |35 in the rear l.end of the detent 88,so that when the inner endof the lever |32 is moved downwardly by the catch plate I I8, the detent88 will be rocked about the pivot 81 against the action of the spring 88out of holding engagement with the clutch actuating arm 19.

It will now be readily understood that when the lock bar |5 ismaintained in its lowermost holding position by the catch plate Il, asillustrated in Figure 5, and when the desired pressure is maintainedupon the upper roll 8 through the medium of the tension screw 25 andspring 24, the rolls 1 and 8 may be -rotated in either of two directionsby the drive shaft 5 through the medium of the shaft 31' by manuallymanipulating the vlever 53 to bring the clutch 48 into clutchingengagement with one or the other of the pinions 40 depending upon thedesired direction of rotation of the wringer rolls.

When it is desired to again stop the rotation of the rolls, this may bemanually accomplished by manipulating the handle 53 to return thelclutch 48 to the neutral position intermediate the pinions 40, but asthis is a more or less laborious operation due to the friction betweenthe clutch elements of the clutch member 48 and of the engaged pinion40, the movement of the clutch to the neutral position may beaccomplished by slight physical-effort by merely pressing the controlrod 92 inwardly against the action of a spring 91 which may be eiectedfrom either side of the case to move the detent 86 downwardly againstthe action of the spring 88 out of holding engagement with one or theother of the abutting members of the clutch actuating arm 18. As thedetent releases said arm, the clutch will be engaged by the action ofthe spring 84 in the manner hereinbefore described so that the clutchplate 1| will be driven by the shaft 31.

As the clutch plate 1| rotates, the rotation of the pins |00 will returnto a neutral position the neutralizing plate 55 which has previouslybeen swung to one side or the other of the normal position by the actionof the gear 65 and segmental gear member 62 when the clutch 48 has movedfrom the clutching position to its normal position. As the plate 55 isthus swung inwardly, the clutch member 48 will be returned to itsneutral position through the medium of the roller 5|, gear $5, segmentalgear member 62 and the teeth 69. As the clutch actuating arm 19 isprovided with abutment members at each end thereof, it is obvious thatthe clutch plate 1| will make but one-half of a revolution, when saidplate will come to an atrest position due to the detent 86 engaging oneor the other of the abutment members 8| or 82 so that the pins |00 willnormally lie in the longitudinal center line of the neutralizing plate55 and thereby permit the free rocking movement of the plate when it isagain desired to move the clutch member 48 into clutching engagementwith one or the other of the pinions.

It is also obvious that the clutch 48 will be as readily returned fromthe clutching engagement with one or the other of the pinions 40 to theneutral position by pressure upon one or the other of the safety releasebars 26 in the manner hereinbefore described, and although I have shownand described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish tobe limited to the exact construction shown as various changes in theform, size and relation of the parts thereof may readily be made,without departing from the spirit of this invention as set forth in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes Wringer, a safetydevice comprising releasable means for maintaining the rolls in pressureengagement, means for driving the rolls comprising a driving clutchelement and a driven clutch element, manually operated means fornormally controlling the engagement and disengagement of said clutchelements, and means actuated upon release of said releasable means fordisengaging said clutch elements, said manually operated means beingconstructed and arranged substantially independently of said safetydevice so that when the pressure on the rolls is released by the safetydevice and the manually operated means is in its clutch disengagingposition, the latter may be operated to drive at least one roll withoutrst restoring the safety device to its roll pressure position,

2. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes wringer, a safetydevice comprising releasable means for maintaining the rolls in pressureengagement, means for driving the rolls comprising a driving clutchelement and a driven clutch element, manually operated means fornormally controlling the engagement and disengagement of said clutchelements, said manually operated means having a neutral position inwhich the clutch elements are out of engagement and an operativeposition in which the clutch elements are in engagement, and meansactuated by said releasable means for controlling the operation of saidclutch elements, said manually operated means being constructed andarranged substantially independently of said safety device so that whenthe pressure on the rolls is released by the safety device and themanually operated means is in neutral position, the latter may beoperated to drive at least one roll without first restoring the safetydevice to its roll pressure position.

3. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes Wringer, drivingmechanism for the rolls comprising a fixed clutch element and a movableclutch element, manually operated means for moving said movable clutchelement into and out of engagement with said fixed clutch element, asafety device comprisingmeans for holding the rolls in pressureengagement, means including a release element for releasing the pressurebetween the rolls, and means including a pivoted lever interconnectingsaid safety device and said movable clutch element for moving saidmovable clutch element out of engagement with said xed clutch elementwhen the release element is tripped, said manually operated means beingrestored to a neutral position as an incident to the disengagement ofsaid clutch elements and being normally operable independently of thesafety device to control the rotation of the rolls.

4. In a control mechanism for the'rolls; of a clothes wringer, drivingmechanism including a drive shaft for the rolls, means comprisingmanually operated means for engaging and disengaging said drivemechanism, said manually operated means having a neutral and anoperative position, a safety device comprising releasable means forholding the rolls in pressure engagement, control means for applying thepower of the drive shaft to effect the disengagement of said drivingmechanism, said manually operated means being restored to a neutralposition as an incident to the disengagement of said driving mechanism,and means actuated upon release of said' releasable means for settingsaid control means into operation.

5. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes wringer, drivingmechanism including a drive shaft for the rolls, means comprisingmanually operated means for vengaging and dlisengaging the drivingmechanism, said manually operated means having a neutral and anoperative position, a safety device comprising releasable means forholding the rolls in pressure engagement, power operated means foreffecting the disengagement of said driving mechanism, and means*interconnecting said releasable means and said power operated means forsetting the power operated means into `operation when the safety deviceis operated, said manually operated means being restored to the neutralposition when the driving mechanism is disengaged upon operation of thesafety device.

6. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes wringer, a unitarydriving and reversing mechanism including a drive shaft for rotating therolls, means comprising manually operated means for controlling thestarting, stopping and reversing of the rolls, control means forapplying the power of the drive shaft to disengage the drivingmechanism, a second manually operated means for controlling theoperation of said control means, said rst manually operated means beingrestored to a neutral position when said second manuallyloperated meansis operated to set the control means into operation and eifect thedisengagement of the driving mechanism.

7. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes wringer, drivingmechanism for the rolls comprising a drive shaft, a pair of drivenclutch elements and a driving clutch element shiftable into engagementwith either of said driven clutch elements, manually operated means forengaging and disengaging said driving clutch e elements A from saiddriven clutch elements, control means for applying the power of thedrive shaft to disengage the driving clutch element from either of thedriven clutch elements, and a' second manually operated means operablefrom either side of the wringer for setting said control means intooperation, said first manually operated means being restored to aneutral position as an incident to the disengagement of said drivingclutch element from either of said driven clutch elements.

8. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes'wringer, a drivingand reversing mechanism for said rolls, means comprising manuallyoperated means for controlling the starting, stopping and reversing ofsaid rolls, a safety device comprising releasable means for maintainingthe rolls in pressure engagement, power operated means for eiecting thedisengagement of said driving mechanism, a second manually operatedmeans, and means for setting said power operated means into operationeither upon release of said safety device or upon operation of saidsecond manually operated means.

9. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes wringer, a drivingmechanism for the rolls, means comprising manually operatedv ,means forcontrolling the starting, stopping and reversing of the rolls, a safetydevice comprising releasable means for maintaining the rolls in.pressure engagement, power operated means for eiecting thedisengagement of said driving mechanism and restoring said manuallyoperatedmeans to a neutral position as an incident thereto, a leverinterconnecting said releasable means and said power operated means forsetting into operation said power operated means when said safety deviceis released, and separate manually operated means for setting intooperation said power operated means.

PETER 'EDUARD GELDHOF.

DISCLAIMER 2,086,497.-Peter Edad/fd Geldhof, Syracuse, N. Y. CONTROLMEOHANISM FOR WRINGER ROLLS OF A. WASHING MACHINE. Patent dated July 6,1937. Disclaimer filed March 25, 1941, by the assignee, Easy WashingMachine Corporation. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 8 in saidLetters Patent.

[Official Gazette April 15, 1941.]

